


a matter of clinginess

by cngkyns



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Actors, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Coffee Shops, Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Self-Indulgent, idk if the other members will pop up tbh
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-06
Updated: 2018-05-19
Packaged: 2018-11-28 13:40:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11419143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cngkyns/pseuds/cngkyns
Summary: In which the two beagles of Monsta X date in various aus. Changkyun/Minhyuk, fluff





	1. a little coffee shop date

**Author's Note:**

> this is some self-indulgent fluff I wrote bc I wanted a break from all the Depressing things I'm writing and also I crave for some Changkyun/Minhyuk stuff so I brought some to the table, nice 
> 
> **au:** coffee shop + university students

“Changkyun-ah,” Minhyuk pouts, his hands grasping at the younger boy’s hoodie. “Don’t leave me here.” 

Changkyun peeks over his shoulder. “I’m not. I’m just gonna get the straws-”

“I’ll feel lonely if you leave me here,” Minhyuk interrupts. His hands grip the boy’s hoodie stronger, yanking his boyfriend towards their table and back into his place. The coffee in their cups jump a little when his boyfriend plops on their shared seat. “Come and stay for a little while.” 

Changkyun gazes at him incredulously. “Hyung, the straws are literally five feet away-”

Minhyuk shushes him with a finger to his lips. “No buts. I haven’t seen you all week and I’m suffering from Changkyun withdrawal symptoms.” 

The younger all but rolls his eyes, a smirk tugging one end of his lips. “Oh my god, hyung, you’re literally the clingiest person I’ve ever met. You make it sound as if we don’t live on the same floor, didn’t go past each other in the halls, didn’t text all day long and you didn’t call me every night to sing a lullaby,” he says.

Minhyuk huffs. “I can’t stand not being in contact with you! I mean, yeah, we said hi sometimes and saw each other everyday, but like, it’s different from our dates and I wanted a little more. Like this-” he throws an arm over his boyfriend’s shoulders- “and this-” he pecks his boyfriend on his bangs- “and this-” he wraps an arm around his boyfriend’s waist and pull them closer together, their legs now touching. Minhyuk rests his chin on Changkyun’s left shoulder. “And anyway, you won’t be able to sleep if you didn’t hear me sing every night. Don’t deny that.” 

A light pink rushes to Changkyun’s cheeks. He coughs. “I’m not- I’m not denying anything! I’m just saying you’re really clingy, you know?” 

Minhyuk giggles. “Yeah, of course I am, especially when it’s with you. I mean, who wouldn’t miss this soft, adorable little puppy?” he coos. An arm reaches around Changkyun’s shoulders and tugs at his right cheek. “Look at you. My puppy. My baby. My kkukkung.” 

Changkyun rolls his eyes again. “Kkukkung was the name Hoseok-hyung gave me, though?” 

“Yeah, but it doesn’t change the fact that you’re mine,” Minhyuk states. He stops pinching Changkyun’s cheek and instead tilts his boyfriend’s face to his direction, their faces almost touching. He blinks slowly, and the bright look in his eyes is replaced with an affectionate, soft gaze. 

Changkyun doesn’t miss the way his boyfriend’s eyes change. He feels heat rising from his neck up. “H-hyung, why are you looking at me like that?”

Minhyuk blinks again, and the soft look is gone. He smiles. “I don’t know. You’re just so cute, I guess.” He leans in for a peck on the cheek, then a peck on the corner of his lips, then towards his ears and whispers, “I missed you so much.” He presses a kiss to Changkyun’s lips.

The younger can practically feel the tips of his ears scorching into a dark red. Burying his face into Minhyuk’s arms, he mumbles, “I missed you too.”

“I know,” his boyfriend replies. “It was so hard not seeing you for a week.” 

Changkyun snickers. “I’m fine with a week. It was just-” his voice softens and he ducks his head deeper into Minhyuk’s arms- “going through exams without you was kind of, um, hard. And- scary.”

Minhyuk nods. “It was. No one was there to scold me when I fell asleep during studying.” 

His boyfriend’s eyes narrow. “But you studied, didn’t you?”

“Of course I did! I’m sure I aced the exam.” Minhyuk winks. “You shouldn’t worry about me, Lee Minhyuk, the boy who never pays attention in class but passes with flying colours!”

“And has a genius boyfriend,” Changkyun adds cheekily. He takes his coffee cup and takes a sip, the foam sticking around his mouth like a moustache, and places his cup back down. “So are we going anywhere after this?”

Minhyuk shrugs. “Wanna go to the arcade? The movie?”

“Arcade sounds fun.” Changkyun watches the elder drain his coffee, then stands up from his seat and tugs his boyfriend up as well. He takes a moment to intertwine their fingers together. “Let’s go.”


	2. otome boyfriend?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minhyuk is jealous and Changkyun likes 2D boys

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello i come bearing another chapter bc i wanted to spoil myself and also procrastinate on everything else i should be doing
> 
>  
> 
> also this was typed on my phone so apologies for any formatting and other mistakes!
> 
>  
> 
> **au:** otome + jealous minhyuk

Changkyun giggles into the palm of his hand, hiding his shy smile and the pretty red flush rising up his face behind his palm. Minhyuk glances up for the fifth time from his homework, the round circular glasses sliding up his nose as he squints at his younger boyfriend curled up on a corner of the couch, curiousity shown by a quick quirk of his eyebrows. His boyfriend has been sitting unmoving on that corner of the couch for at least forty-five minutes or so, ears plugged in with earphones and hand clutching his phone tight. And he's been giggling over and over again. 

Now, Minhyuk wouldn't call himself the jealous type- he's simply clingy (though Changkyun would argue against that)- but his boyfriend _has_ been giggling without letting him on, plus he hasn't moved from his spot on the couch for an hour. What's worse is that Changkyun wouldn't even spare him a glance every time he calls his name. So, no, Minhyuk wasn't the jealous type, it's just he's feeling a twinge of jealousy at this very moment.

Minhyuk places his pencil down and crosses his arms. "Kyun-ah," he calls from the dining table. "Kyun-ah, who are you talking to?"

The younger doesn't look up, doesn't show any signs to having heard him at all.

He tries again with a louder voice. "Changkyunie," Minhyuk says. "Who are you talking to?"

Changkyun's eyes stay glued to the screen. He lets out a soft chuckle, eyes curling up into his biggest shy smile- the shy smile with a lot of affection and butterflies and overall softness to his face. The shy smile reserved for him and him only.

That did it. No one could make his boyfriend smile like that unless they were a special person who gave him special feelings, and so far, the only special person Changkyun would smile like... like _that_ to was him. Lee Minhyuk. His boyfriend. His best friend. His possible future husba-

The chair scrapes against the linoleum floor, creating a loud, whiny screech as Minhyuk bolts up from his seat, a deep frown settling on his features as he marches down to the couch on the living room, arms crossed tight against his chest. His shadow looms tall over Changkyun's curled up form, casting itself over the boy's head to the cushions to the end of the couch. Minhyuk taps his foot against the floor but his boyfriend takes no notice. It's infuriating.

He decides to poke the younger on the shoulder- a stern poke, the one he uses when he wants to scold the younger in public but doesn't want to embarrass either of them. Changkyun jumps in his skin, tugging one earphone out and swiveling around to face the elder. He has the audacity to smile up at him (and also make Minhyuk's heart flutter, but now is not the time to admit that).

"Hey hyung," Changkyun greets him, his voice airy and light. "What's up?"

Minhyuk puts on his strictest, most no-nonsense face and nods at his phone. "That. Who's on the phone?"

Changkyun frowns. He tilts his phone screen away from their direction. "Um. No one?" 

The elder narrows his eyes. "Don't lie to me, Kyun-ah. You were talking to someone, weren't you?"

Yet another colour settles on Changkyun's face, this time a pale pink colour spreading across his cheeks and onwards to the tips of his ears. "No? I... wasn't _saying_ anything?"

"So?"

"If I wasn't saying anything, then I'm not talking to anyone?" Changkyun points out. The grip on his phone relaxes. "And, um, I wasn't calling anyone. Really. Just... listening to stuff."

An eyebrow rises up Minhyuk's forehead. "Oh really? What were you listening to that got you all flustered like this, hm?"

The nervousness on his boyfriend's face slips away in a split second. Minhyuk curses the loss of power that he temporarily had over his normally-expressionless boyfriend, but regains composure by squaring his shoulders. Changkyun heaves a sigh, his shoulders dropping, and looks up at the elder with an incredulous expression. 

"Wow, really, hyung? Are we gonna play the jealousy game again?" 

Now it's Minhyuk's turn to flush a pretty pale pink. Damn the boy and his sharp senses. "I'm- I'm not jealous! Just curious. The only person you smile like that to is me, so of course I would be curious," he defends himself. 

Changkyun narrows his eyes. "You're jealous," he concludes.

Minhyuk pouts. "I'm not! Come on, just tell me who you were talking to and get this over with," he pleads.

"But why do you want to know?"

"Because I'm your boyfriend and I have to," is all Minhyuk answers before he climbs over the arm of the couch, his knee nudging into Changkyun's left arm and his socked foot pushing the younger away. The younger sighs in defeat and scooches over to the other side of the couch to make space for his unbelievably clingy boyfriend.

When Minhyuk sits snugly beside Changkyun, their sides touching, he drapes himself all over Changkyun's left side and attempts to pry his phone out of his hand. "Come on," he whines into the younger's ear, "tell me who it is." He tries to grab for it, hands grasping in the air, but Changkyun hides his phone behind his back. Minhyuk yelps, his hand falling short of reach and making him fall across the back of the couch. His boyfriend sniggers.

"Why are you so desprate, hyung?" Changkyun teases. "Aren't you being a little too jealous here?"

Minhyuk scowls. "So what if I am? You shouldn't smile like that to anyone but me," he whines, attempting to reach for his boyfriend's phone again. Changkyun yanks it higher in the air, enjoying how the elder yelps and falls back onto the couch, his hair flailing around his face. Changkyun snickers.

Minhyuk sits up. His lips jut out into a pout. "Changkyun," he begins. "Changkyun, please?" 

His boyfriend shakes his head. "No can do, hyung," he replies. 

Minhyuk huffs and tosses his head away, his arms crossing back against his chest. "Fine, you big cheater."

"Hyung, really," his boyfriend suddenly says. He turns around and comes face to face with wide, earnest eyes. The word cheater seems to have triggered something in him and Minhyuk immediately regrets using the word. "You have nothing to worry about."

"I won't believe that until you show me your phone."

Changkyun purses his lips, displaying his rarely-seen dimples. "Okay, okay. But-" he holds out his left pinky-"promise not to laugh."

Alright. A weird request. Minhyuk nods anyway and pushes himself against Changkyun's left side, getting into the younger's personal space to get a clear view of the phone. His boyfriend slides a thumb across the screen to unlock it, taps it a few more times, and the screen shows an-

Anime guy?

"What- what is that?" Minhyuk asks. Japanese words filled in random parts of the screen, words that he swore he learned in his high school days but can't remember for the life of him.

Changkyun presses an earphone into his ear and taps on a button. "Here."

When Minhyuk puts it in, a voice fills his ears. Minhyuk glances at the screen and sees a dialogue box at the bottom and the anime guy's face at the top, the facial expressions changing from one to another. He squints at the dialogue box.

_I want to hug you more! Like... glomping or snuggling... or cuddling... hey, why don't you come closer?_

His eyes widen and his lips stretch into a smile. "Oh my god, Kyun, you are such a weeb. And what's this? Some sort of boyfriend talk?"

He gets a slap on the shoulder in return. "Hyung! You promised not to laugh!"

"Pfft." He hides his smirk behind his hand. "I'm not laughing." His boyfriend pouts.

Changkyun tugs the earphone out of his boyfriend's ear. "Are you happy now?"

He's faced with a bright, scrunchy eye smile from his boyfriend, the elder wrapping him in a tight, happy embrace. "Yes. Now I have something to blackmail you with," Minhyuk adds cheekily.

Changkyun grumbles in his hold. "Hyung."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> psst the app is based off an irl app i'm currently obsessed w rn bc I'm a lonely single bean


	3. filming break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minhyuk secretly snuggles with Changkyun during their drama shooting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello!! i haven't posted in ages bc i started big fics (as usual; who knows if they'll be finished) and also i'm working on a very big school project rn ;;
> 
> anyway i finally caught up with mxray after 2 weeks and i rlly wanted smth refreshing to write, so this came out!! in 10 mins. therefore unbeta-ed but hopefully still enjoyable. hope you'll like it!

Changkyun grasps a handful of wig and tosses it over his left shoulder with a huff. The brown strands stick to his sweaty face, the room feels humid in his mother-in-law dress, his foundation is running down, and all he wants to do is yank off his wig so he can take a nice, comfortable nap. All the furniture in their set looks very, very comfortable, tempting him with soft cushions and plush seats. It's quiet as Kihyun and Hyunwoo shoot in the kitchen, with Hoseok and Hyungwon laughing outside the set and Jooheon laying down somewhere else in the set. The lighting is dim, perfect enough to sneak a little nap before his shoot comes, but he's sweaty and annoyed and Minhyuk won't leave him alone. 

He pushes off his hyung's arms off his shoulders for the fifth time. "Hyung, please," he says under his breath. "It's really hot." 

"Hot because you're here," Minhyuk replies. He throws his arms once again over Changkyun's shoulders, successfully this time, and draws him behind. "You look so pretty like that." 

Changkyun makes a face. Given up on resisting, he leans his head on Minhyuk's shoulder instead. "Hyung, don't be gross." 

"I'm only speaking the truth." Minhyuk giggles and rests his chin on Changkyun's shoulders. "You're really pretty either way." 

His junior smirks. "Thanks, I guess." His eyes flutter close, lashes creating mini-shadows over his cheeks. Minhyuk feels his legs waver, but he keeps still because now he has Changkyun in his arms.

There's five minutes of a serene pause that overtakes them while the staff in the room continue to direct their friends. Minhyuk glances up occasionally, hoping no one would see his indiscreet snuggling with his crush, and spends the rest of the minutes staring down at their youngest. He looks fine, so fine with red lipstick donning his lips, that ridiculous wig with the perfect strands framing his face, and the pearl earrings he wore. Minhyuk shakes his head. Changkyun is his type, both feminine and masculine. When will your fave ever? he thinks.

"And...cut!" Their director announces. Minhyuk jumps in place, while Changkyun straightens up into a pole. His wig sits askew atop his head.

Minhyuk smiles and nudges it back to its original position. "There you go. You're all ready now. Good luck, kid." He pats Changkyun on the shoulder, hoping to come off in a more brotherly fashion. Changkyun raises an eyebrow. 

The youngest sends him a lopsided smile, showing off his deep dimples. "Thanks hyung. And, uh, you might want to calm down your heartbeat there," he says, pointing to Minhyuk's chest. Then, fluttering his fingers in the air, he adds, "Ciao" and walks away.

Minhyuk blinks in confusion. His heart still races in his chest.


	4. retreat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **au/prompt:** who does minhyuk go to in his silent moments?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whew! i'm back with another one shot! my other stuff is currently ballooning up, and i needed a break from a novella i'm writing for school, so this was a Great outlet heheh hope you enjoyed <3

Minhyuk doesn't stop talking. Most of the time, he just doesn't. He can take all of the words from another person's mouth and talk enough for a whole group combined, bursting with energy and passion which everybody seems to admire from afar. That's who he is.

A motormouth running at 120km/h, a thousand ideas and topics filtering through his brain, and an eager willingness to absorb everything he senses by relaying it to others is what he does best. He's known to be the moodmaker of his family and friends, the person to rely on when the days turn gloomy and dull, whose words fill the air and erase any trace of boredom away. The first to build a bridge between strangers and find a connection, one way or another, through his never-ending words. 

But when he's the person everyone relies on for their quiet moments, what about him? Who could he turn to when he needs some cheering up? Who would accept the once-bright sun, coming back as a deflated balloon?

Why, that's Changkyun, of course.

His boyfriend is a young man three years below him, whose mature and quiet charms clash with his own. They're not so sure why they work- this push and pull of electricity between them, created by stark personality contrasts and their secret shared smiles, holding the relationship together- that a young man as quiet and simple as Changkyun could fall in love, hand in hand, with a man as boisterous and loud as Minhyuk. They're not sure if they'll ever end, either, because at this moment, when Minhyuk needs to breathe, needs a rest from all the sunshine and happiness he spills to everyone else via his almost-endless energy, he returns to a zen of serene tranquility. To said young man of calm, composed confidence, arms open to welcome him back for a night of warm cuddles and soft talks under the moonlight. To the young man who, beneath his shy laughters and reserved nature, is a strong pillar for Minhyuk to hold on to when his own is crumbling apart.

Now, lying on a thin mattress dragged out onto their balcony, a fleece blanket covering their legs, Minhyuk basks in Changkyun's quiet chuckle and the rise and fall of his chest, eyes never leaving this beautiful, calm man he somehow managed to find in the crevices of an exhausting world. His fingers trace the lines of the younger's palm, writing unknown words and drawing random shapes while they talk away the rest of the night. He's not even sure what they're talking about at this point, because they have the ability to race through several subjects in a five-minute conversation. That's because it's with Changkyun; it's this man he's talking to that they come up with a bottomless list of subjects thrown into their conversations. Already, he's sleepy and cozy underneath the warm blanket and his even warmer boyfriend, but he fights himself to stay awake since his mind is full of the latter, and nothing is worth staying awake for other than him.

Minhyuk snaps out of his dreaming when the younger tucks a strand of hair behind his ear ever so softly. Changkyun's voice, husky and deep at this time of the night, breaks through his thoughts with the words, "Hyung, are you okay? Do you want some sleep?" His fingertips leave warm traces behind.

Minhyuk shakes his head. "No, I'm fine. What were you saying?"

Changkyun opens his mouth, as if to say something, but quickly shuts it.His eyes skitter all over Minhyuk's face. "Nothing. I can't remember what I was going to say." His eyes avert from the heavy stare on his boyfriend's face, to the tiny stars that manage to twinkle all the way to them. With that, the topic of the conversation drops.

Minhyuk sighs in contentment, his breath forming a white vapour in the air. "This feels good, you know," he remarks casually, squeezing his fingers onto Changkyun's palm. The younger replies by squeezing back.

"I know. That's why we do it." 

His boyfriend responds by snuggling up onto his shoulder and laying his head there, the black strands tickling Changkyun's jawline, whilst a faint waft of menthol shampoo travels up his nose. Changkyun throws an arm over Minhyuk's lean torso, securing him in his arms, then inhales the scent deeply. His boyfriend smells like home- _their_ home. An embrace of a place they belong to. 

Minhyuk grips Changkyun's waist. He flips his face to the left, so that he's looking directly towards his boyfriend. "This whole week, it's been tiring," he announces, his voice absorbed by Changkyun's cotton shirt. "The dinner on Wednesday and all that. I really didn't need any of it."

"Including your promotion?"

He chuckles, lightly hitting his boyfriend on the arm. "No! Of course I needed that. It's just- I don't know. All the formalities, I guess? Socializing, congratulating, meeting new people.." Turning slightly to the left, Minhyuk leans his head backwards onto Changkyun's shoulder so he's facing the night sky. "That was unnecessary. Just promote me and go."

"Mhmm." His boyfriend rubs his hand up and down Minhyuk's side in a slow, gentle motion; combined with the gentle breathing rhythms and his body warmth, it lulls Minhyuk into a sleepy daze. He blinks one eye after the other, trying to fight the grogginess away. Any time spent with Changkyun shouldn't be wasted.

But he slips away into sleep.

Changkyun can tell by his steady breaths and quiet voice that by now, the older was falling into a faraway dreamland. Affection fills him full to bursting. Smiling to himself, he looks up at the night sky and begins to hum a familiar love song.

Their night ends with Changkyun's deep voice sending notes into the sky.


	5. flower shop

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey yeah so it's 2am rn but i just finished another drabble that i worked on for a while, and i rlly wanted to post it so here goes   
>  **au/prompt:** florist!au

Changkyun isn't a big fan of flowers or anything. When he sees a flower, he stares at its petals and leaves, appreciates the beauty found in nature, then walks past it without a second thought. Flowers were pretty, its colours rich and wonderful; some petals were velvet to the touch, some thin and delicate, and the smell of lavender reminds him of his parents' home, because his mother was absolutely in love with the fragrance. He doesn't mind them or anything, doesn't notice them in his day to day life. To him, flowers were merely decoration, a fleeting aesthetic in his life.

But one day, when he walks past the row of shops that line the main street, swinging one earphone around his hand while listening to rap, his eye catches sight of the flower shop to his right. It was rather windy today, so the flowers that were out on the street danced to the wind, creating a mesmerizing, gentle movement. There was also the almost-unnoticeable smell of nectar and whatever-flower that wafted down to greet him, awakening his senses and adding a refreshing note to the day. However, that wasn't what caught his eye.

Inside the shop, a young man was arranging flowers on some shelves and swaying to the rhythm of the flowers' movement, his eyes and lips alight in a serene smile. With pretty, delicate hands and a wrist so fragile it might break, the man- the shop assistant? The owner, perhaps?- chooses flowers from the shelves and moves them into a transparent vase, where a flower arrangement was ready, tied together with a piece of string and a tiny slip of paper. Then, the man turns the other way and brushes past the flowers as he walks past them, the flowers barely touching his shoulders, almost as if he was gliding through a mini archway of petals. His eyes never once left the flowers. His small smile never left his pretty face.

Changkyun, paused in the middle of the pavement three feet away from the flower shop, could feel his knees turn jelly. Now _that_ was a flower boy.

 

 

On any other no-classes day, Changkyun wouldn't bother to roll out of bed and abandon his comfortable quilts for anything, whether it be his friends or even breakfast. He can't be bothered, really, not when he's always drained by his university assignments and his work nights, where he spends five hours as a cafe cashier. Under his protective quilts, he's free to roll around, snore, and hide away from people and responsibilities however he wants. It's bliss.

Which is why he's surprised that right now, at the early crack of eleven in the morning, Changkyun finds himself leisurely striding down the row of shops on the main street, eyes searching for a face well-hidden amongst flowers. He doesn't even remember how he got here: one second he was lying on his bed with his phone touching his nose, and the next he was leaving his apartment with a strong, peculiar urge to go to the flower shop. And which flower shop? What was the name of the flower shop? Had it always been there? How did he not notice it before?

Changkyun blinks. He's already face to face with the entrance of the shop, his awkward posture reflected in the clear display windows. The door is wide open, revealing the various flowers that practically cover the interior of the shop: the shelves were lined with tiny pots of flowers, succulents and more pots crowded the corners of the floor, hanging vases decorated the walls, and packets of seeds were arranged neatly on the counter. A green vine-patterned wallpaper covered the walls; the potted plants that hang from the ceiling dropped pink and purple petals, creating a pastel blend of colours in the interior; a selection of white tables and furniture mixes with the wooden planks for a vintage finish. As Changkyun inhales, the various fragrances waft into his nose, dizzying him a bit, causing him to stagger into the shop in a haze of floral scents.

Here, instead of a bell to acknowledge a customer's presence, it was the cheerful, yet husky voice of a young male. "Welcome!" said the voice from behind the flowers. A young man appears soon after, a tuft of brown hair poking out of the flowers, then a white sweater covered by a brown apron coming out of the back of the shop. He seems to glide on his feet, his steps quiet and his movements subtle, when he walks towards the customer who just entered the shop. Was he a real person? Or was he a being of light?

The young male stops in front of him with that same serene smile gracing his face. "Hello, sir. Are you looking for anything?"

"A-ah, no. Just looking around," the student stutters. He reaches out towards the nearest plant and touches its fleshy leaves- if that was what they were called. "This is, um, very pretty."

The young male- Minhyuk, his tag on his apron reads- nods, his smile widening if that was possible. "It is! It's very cute, too. We call this the Blue Elf and it blooms multiple times a year- right now, it's a pretty green, but during cooler weather, it'll darken to a red burgundy. You see its red tips?" He lifts one of the fleshy leaves and traces the tips. "It reminds you of the blush on elves' cheeks, doesn't it?"

Changkyun nods, his brain trying to process all the information spewed at once. "Y-yeah, I guess so," he answers. 

The Minhyuk man continues to smile at him, but somehow, it's not creepy or unnerving. It feels like- like endless sunshine and warmth, and is he actually being cheesy in his head?

"Are you looking for succulents?" he asks. 

What even are succulents? The student shrugs, sending a sheepish smile. "No. I'm not looking for anything. Just looking...around...if that makes sense?"

A sweet chuckle, then a polite bow. "Alright then," Minhyuk says lightly. "I'll leave you to look. This part's our succulents, and over here-" he gestures to the part of the shop behind them- "are the flowers, seeds, bouquets and everything else. You can always ask if you have any questions, okay?"

"Yeah, okay. Thank you." Changkyun returns the polite bow right before the man disappears behind the veil of flowers again. Then, with a puff of air, he shakes his head and tries to bring himself back to reality.

 _What am I doing here?_ he thinks. Why is he spending his precious off-day in a random flower shop, talking to a pretty man he only saw once before? This was probably the most impulsive act he's ever done- save for the one time he dropped a week's worth of lunch money to buy a new game on Steam- and he feels very... out-of-his-comfort-zone. But okay, whatever. Since he's already there, he might as well take a look around a bunch of plants. It isn't like he has anything against them.

Changkyun is still standing in the same spot from five minutes before when Minhyuk appears again, seemingly out of nowhere, and carrying a spray bottle in one of his hands. The student doesn't notice until the pretty man lets out a laugh.

"Don't know where to start?" he asks. The student opens his mouth, not sure what to say.

"I... I don't really know anything about flowers to begin with," he replies. "They're just...very...visually aesthetic."

Minhyuk bobs his head. "I know right! They're so beautiful and delicate, they just add that touch of elegance to any place and time. But there's more to that than simple beauty," he adds. "They have meanings too, don't you know?"

"Is-is there?"

"Yeah!" The florist hurries over to his side, then reaches out for one of the flowers that sit on the shelves on the wall. "You see this?" he fingers the pink petals in his hand- which, upon closer inspection, Changkyun notices the flower resembles like a rose in full bloom, except it isn't a rose. "This one's called a peony," Minhyuk says, "and it traditionally embodies romance and good fortune. And you see this one?" He picks up a purple bouquet from one of the tables, lifts it to his face, and grins. "This one's a lavender bouquet, and it smells great. Doesn't it smell familiar to you?" He holds it out towards the student. 

He tentatively sniffs the bouquet, then hums in appreciation. Now that- that smelled _exactly_ like his mother's room and her dresses and her bedsheets and literally everything she owns. His dimples pop up with the smile he gives. "It smells really, really nice."

"Doesn't it?" Minhyuk asks in glee, before returning the bouquet to its original place. "I've always been calmed by the smell of lavenders. It feels like home. But anyway, lavenders in general stand for feminine beauty, though these ones, the purple ones, usually mean royalty and grace."

"Ah, I see."

Next, Minhyuk picks up another purple bouquet, filled with flowers that looked like a thicker version of lavenders. "These are called hyacinth flowers," the florist says, "and they, unlike the other two, have negative meanings. This one means apologies and sorrow. Still is pretty, though, right?"

"Y-yeah."

Placing the bouquet back on the table, the florist leans on the edge of it with his palm, facing the student. "So, have you made up your mind yet?"

Raising a hand to scratch the back of his neck, Changkyun winces in apology. "Um, no. I- I wasn't planning to buy anything in the first place, actually..."

"Ah, is that so?" Minhyuk scrunches his nose. "That's a disappointment. But it's okay! I enjoyed telling you the meanings of flowers. It's a new piece of knowledge, isn't it?"

Changkyun flushes for no apparent reason. "I guess so. Thank you, really. I didn't know anything about it at all."

The florist waves a hand dismissively in the air. "It's alright. You'll still be taking a look around?"

"Uh, yeah, I will." With the tips of his ears completely red, the student bows his head at the florist and excused himself to walk away from him, exploring the rest of the shop.

 

 

A few days later, Minhyuk finds a bouquet of gardenia lying on the front door of his flower shop in the morning, just as he was about to start the day. Gardenia- flowers of a secret love, he recalls. Curious of its origins- because who sends a bouquet of flowers to a flower shop? Was it an angry, unsatisfied customer?- Minhyuk picks up the bouquet of white flowers and turns it around in his hands, searching for a card somewhere on the twine. 

And he did. A small, white card bordered with golden was tied onto the twine that held the bouquet together, with no sentiment whatsoever. Instead, initials of a name was spelled out in a sharp handwriting. 

_—LCK._

Minhyuk smiles to himself. Who could it be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hopefully there wasn't any mistake or anything bc i'm too tired and rlly should be sleeping goodnight   
>  16th Sept 2018 edit: some mistakes have been corrected!   
>  come scream w me over mx + day6 on [tumblr](https://cngkyns.tumblr.com) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/seohngjin)


	6. new year!!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which minhyuk finds someone to spend new year's with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok i haven't updated in a while and it's bc i'm writing a Big fic rn, something i haven't rlly tried before, and that's sucked all of my time, but i still wanted to self-indulge in my fluffy drabbles lolol anyway this isn't....as cute as the others tbh but i wanted!!! a new year's themed thingy!!!! so i wrote this!!!! enjoy :D
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> **au/prompt:** new years' eve? 

Minhyuk has spent three years in Russia now. 

That was the only thought running through his head as he stares at the night sky, waiting for fireworks to light up the black canvas and the cheers that rise from the people. There's already a large crowd gathered in front of the Red Square, with people huddling for warmth and laughing over the snow-covered streets. The streetlights create a hazy glow as it shines through the winter air. Every time Minhyuk breathes, a small mists hangs in front of his face for a few seconds before disappearing, and his fingers are tingling with the cold. 

Three years in Russia. He first left Korea in search for work as a photographer, while tending to his lifetime desire of exploring the world. He'd learned more about life as a twenty-two year old when he first arrived: how to manage on his own in a foreign country, how to pick up a language within a year, how to tolerate difficult people in his line of work, and how he had to stand strong for himself. Russia was beautiful as it was harsh; the people were distant yet friendly, the winters several degrees colder than Korea, the food a whole different tongue than his. As hard as adjusting was, Minhyuk enjoyed living in Russia and making out as a photographer. It was the change he needed in his life. 

Except, after three years in here, he was still lonely. 

In front of him, the locals began chanting the New Year's countdown in one collective voice. "One!" 

Minhyuk watched the colourful light show play against Saint Basil's Cathedral. The crowd cheers in excitement. A high tension of anticipation hangs in the air. 

"Two!" 

He shivers in the cold, stamps his feet on the ground to get some heat into him. If he had more friends to celebrate his New Year's with, he would be staying indoors and spending the rest of the night with them, preferably over a hot cup of chocolate and some warm pastries or a cake. However, that wasn't the case, and spending his New Year's eve with the locals like this was his only form of human interaction at the moment. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a person running down the paving blocks outside of the Kremlin mall, feet in danger of slipping on the icy ground. Minhyuk glances at the person, who seemed to be in a rush to get there-

"Three!" 

The person lets out a gasp, audible through the crowd's cheers, and falls flat against their face, complete with a loud thud. Minhyuk's eyes widened. 

Above him, the sky burst into colourful fireworks of blue, yellow, red, purple and green. Thunderous bang! bang! bang! broke the crowd's cheering to signal the end of 2017 and the first minutes of 2018. 

Ignoring the fireworks, Minhyuk left the crowd and dashed towards the fallen person, who still hasn't gotten up after thirty seconds or so. He's worried that the person might have gotten a concussion or something a like; he knew, through unfortunate experience, that slipping on icy grounds wasn't a small deal.

Crouching down beside the person, Minhyuk shakes their shoulders and attempts to flip them over. "Um, excuse me?" he asks in Russian. "Are you okay?" 

The person's face rises up in slow motion, and Minhyuk gazes into an Asian face. 

"Oh." He switches to English. "Are you okay?" 

The person- a young man, Minhyuk can see- pushes himself off the ground and sits in a kneeling position. "I'm- yeah, I'm okay! I just- I just fell." He brushes off his shoulders and pants. "Not- ah- not hurt or anything." 

"Are you sure?" Minhyuk stands up and offers a hand. "Falling on a slippery ground is a pretty big deal. We should make sure you're alright." 

"No, no, I'm fine," the young man replies in a clean American accent. He stands up, his legs wobbly and in danger of falling once more, then lets out an embarrassed chuckle. He shakes his head. "I guess I was too excited about the fireworks show." 

Minhyuk tilts his head. "Are you a tourist here?" This was the kind of shenanigans he'd witness tourists do, not to mention the uncommon presence of an Asian man in Moscow.

"Um, no, not really. I moved here a few months ago." 

"Oh, really? I've been living here for a few years." He holds out a hand again, this time in an introductory manner. "I'm Lee Minhyuk, but people call me Jason." 

The person takes his hand in a firm hold and shakes it. "I'm Im Changkyun, but I go by Daniel here." 

Minhyuk's eyes brighten. "Are you...are you Korean?" 

 

 

Thirty minutes later, Changkyun places his coffee cup back on its place and sighs in pleasure. "Latte is always good during winter." 

"Mm, it sure is." Minhyuk sips on his hot chocolate through a straw, keeping his eyes on the slice of chocolate indulgence cake he ordered for himself. Winter was a time for him to indulge his sweet tooth. 

"This place is really busy," his new companion remarks, observing the mall around them. Even though most people were outside at the moment, enjoying the fireworks show and the New Year's performances and stalls open all night, there were still several people flitting in and out of the mall, filling up the large space with body warmth and sound. The speakers continued to play Christmas jingles and the fairy lights continued to flicker on and off, and laughter bursts every so often from different corners of the mall.  

"It always is, to be honest. I go here very often when I'm bored." 

"Ah, I see. Seems like a fun place, too." 

"It is." 

Another silence pauses their conversation, where Changkyun bends over to the table and tentatively pokes at his cheesecake, thick in the middle with cheese and sprinkled all over with white icing. Picking out a tiny amount, he takes a taste test and smacks his lips in appreciation. "Mm. Yummy." 

Minhyuk finishes sipping his hot chocolate- it was too good for him and he couldn't put it down for five minutes- then puts his cup back on the plate. "So what do you do?" he asks.

"Me? Oh, I'm a robotics engineer. I came here to work on a bunch of drone projects in some university after my former professor, um, recommended me, or something like that. I occasionally help with lectures, too," Changkyun replies with nonchalance. He misses his companion's brows raising in surprise. "What about you?" 

Minhyuk hesitates answering the question. "I'm a photographer," he replies, somehow embarrassed to say it. What was he in the eyes of an engineer? And a robotics one, at that!

"Oh? A photographer!" Changkyun visibly perks up, his cat eyes shining in interest. "One of my best friends is a photographer too, but I'm not sure if you know him. Have you heard of Yoo Kihyun before?" 

"Yoo Kihyun? You mean...the award-winning photojournalist? Who's worked for Nat Geo before?" 

"Yeah!" If Changkyun was a child, Minhyuk can see him dangling his feet off the chair and bobbing his head in enthusiasm, the right corner of his mouth tinged with cheesecake. Every time he smacks his lips, two deep dimples form on his cheeks that catch Minhyuk off-guard every single time. 

He blinks, getting back to the conversation at hand. "Of- of course I do! He's one of the best in the field." 

"He's really cool. He's always travelling around the world and meeting new people, taking amazing pictures and telling whole stories with them. And he gets paid a lot! Is that what you do as a photographer?"

Minhyuk flushes. "Yeah, you could say so." In truth, his own job was in no way that special, but he nods anyway, not wanting to disappoint his companion. Changkyun's enthusiasm was contagious and he didn't want to taint it.

Said companion takes another bite off the cake. "I wish I could do that, but no, I stay cooped up in classrooms and labs all day long, assembling mechanical beings. Not that I'm complaining, though." Changkyun smacks his lips, then adds, "How long have you been living here? You seem to know a lot about Russia, Minhyuk-ssi." 

Minhyuk shrugs. "Three years. It happens when you work as a photographer because you travel a lot to take photos, you know? You end up learning a lot about the country. And, well, Russia's full of beautiful landscapes- the animals, the scenery, the culture and history. It's rich, full of it, and I end up not bored while I'm working, so there goes my three years. How about you? How's it treating for you so far?" 

"I'm not sure. Four months isn't enough for me to decide, but everything's going well." Changkyun sips his hot chocolate. "Sucks that I'm lonely here, though. Haven't made any new friends yet." 

The elder companion nods wholeheartedly, his eyebrows coming together in sympathy. "Me neither. Three years sounds more than enough for me to find them, but it's hard to keep in touch with people when I'm always out and about, and I...don't fare well with the locals." Minhyuk winces to reduce whatever negative implications that had. "They're friendly and cool, but I...don't get along with them, somehow." 

"Mm." Changkyun doesn't appear to hear him, instead fishing out his pockets for an item while his fork of cheesecake is suspended in the air. Pulling out a phone, he slides across the screen and taps on the phone dial, before he slides it across the table. "Number please." 

Minhyuk blinks. "What?" 

"Number." The younger points at his phone dial. "So we can call and text and be friends." 

"...Oh." Minhyuk picks up the phone tentatively, staring at the dial for a while with the slightest frown. "My number, huh?" 

"Yeah. Then neither of us won't be as lonely, right?" 

"Right." He finishes typing his number and saves his contact under Lee Minhyuk. "There you go." 

Accepting his phone back, Changkyun breaks into the widest, most genuine smile, eyes transforming into mini crescents. He resembles the oversized child Minhyuk imagined him to be just five minutes ago. "Thank you, Minhyuk-ssi! Now anyway, what were you saying about the locals?"

 

 

When Minhyuk reaches his apartment at four in the morning, he kicks off his shoes in the entranceway and smiles to himself. So he did spend his New Year's indoors, over hot chocolate and a cake. What a way to start off 2018. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello hmu on [twitter](https://twitter.com/cngkyns) or [tumblr](http://cngkyns.tumblr.com) if you wanna scream abt kpop/this fic/life in general! 


	7. kiss kiss fall in love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> o my finally a new drabble ! i haven't written anything abt mx in a Long While (well, besides that uglie teaser fic) & i miss the puppy pairing, so i wrote a new one! it came abt when i was watching the live show, bless chaotic gay minhyuk........anyway this was posted w/out much editing so hope you forgive any mistakes ! thank u ily   
>  **prompt:** kiss from the live show

"Hey, Changkyun."

Unaware of his name being called, Changkyun bobs his head to the music of his phone while he stares at the passing streetlights outside. Night has fallen but the streetlights glow and brightens everything beneath it. A faint mist forms on the window every time Changkyun exhales near it before disappears in an instant, reminding him of the winter months that ended recently. He'd spent most of their winter vacation at the studio to work on their new album, accompanied by Jooheon or Hoseok; sometimes he lounged lazily with the rest of the members, enjoying Kihyun's dinners and group movie nights; sometimes he spent days alone wandering around Seoul. Before vacation ended, he went to his parents' home a few days after New Years' too. And met up with his older brother. And ate his mother's cooking. And enjoyed the nostalgia of being in his hometown, even if it was only for four days.

Although he'd had a great holiday, he was glad to return to a busy life filled with performances and songs to sing and shows to appear on. Nothing kept him at bay more than the raw energy spent on stage, dancing and rapping and meeting the fans who pour out their love to him... 

"Changkyun."

He sighs, leaning against the back of the seat, his eyes fluttering closed. The comeback show earlier was fun as always, but he was far too tired to think of anything right now, preferring to succumb to sleep. Hours of non-stop dance practice was finally catching up to him- he needed a rest right now.

"Chang-kyun."

Sleeping in a car is hard. No matter how he sits, he can't ever find a comfortable position to nap in. He tilts this way and that, curls his legs on top of the chair, leans against the window, but nothing is good enough to let him sleep.

"Changkyunnie!"

A poke on his shoulder. Finally hearing his name being called, Changkyun glances behind him, then flinches when he sees Minhyuk's face an inch away from his.

"Brat. How many times did I have to call you?" the elder tells him, their noses almost brushing. "Did you hear me at all?"

Changkyun takes one earphone out. "Oh, you were calling me?"

Minhyuk huffs. "Yeah, like five times! Are you ignoring me on purpose?"

"What? No, of course not," Changkyun replies, fully turning around. He pauses the music on his phone, takes the other earphone out, and sends a charming smile to his bandmate. "Sorry. I zoned out."

"Pay attention to me more," Minhyuk whines, his volume dropping lower. The other members were deep asleep and he can't risk waking them up, not when Kihyun was sitting beside him. "I'm bored and lonely."

"Go play a game or something," the younger tells him. Changkyun turns around to face the front, letting his head thud against the window. "I'm really sleepy right now."

"No." Minhyuk leans forward, sets his chin on Changkyun's shoulder. "Entertain me."

"Don't want to."

"Hey, you're the younger one. You're supposed to do what I say."

"Don't want to."

"Don't be a brat."

"Don't want to."

"Entertain me! I'll love you forever if you do."

"Ew." This time, Changkyun turns his head around with an amused grin on his face. "Don't be gross."

Out of nowhere, Minhyuk leans forward in his seat, nose caressing the side of Changkyun's face. Changkyun feels a pair of lips peck his cheek. Quick and soft. Pure and innocent. Warm.

Pulling away, Minhyuk replies, "No." He huffs again.

A hot flush rises up Changkyun's neck, tickles the tips of his ears and colours his face a dark red, visible in the dim lighting of the car. He wipes a hand against the spot where Minhyuk had pecked him, then whines, "I just said don't be gross! What was that for?" 

The elder shrugs. "I wanted to continue from the show." 

"Continue what?" 

Minhyuk juts both his lips out into a kissy face. Tapping his fingertips against his lips, he says, "This." 

Another wave of embarassment crashes onto him through heated cheeks and red ears. Changkyun doesn't know why- it wasn't like they'd kissed for the first time. They'd done it several times before: random pecks during dance practice, good morning kisses, a kiss whenever Minhyuk didn't feel like working but the group had to move on, and a kiss whenever Changkyun felt down and missed home. It isn't their first time nor will it be their last. Their shared kisses are too good to give up, and neither of them wanted to stop whatever was going on between them.

But Changkyun frowns in reply, anyway, and turns back to the front once more. "Don't want to," he repeats for the nth time. 

From behind, Minhyuk groans. 

Then Changkyun adds, "We'll continue later in the dorm. Jeez." 

Minhyuk smiles. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello hmu on [twitter](https://twitter.com/cngkyns) or [tumblr](http://cngkyns.tumblr.com) if you wanna scream abt kpop/this fic/life in general! 


	8. artist!minhyuk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which minhyuk likes to paint changkyun. 
> 
> ☆ 
> 
> "Do you like it?"
> 
> "I do! This is beautiful." Changkyun, at last, breaks his gaze from the painting to glance at his boyfriend. A wide smile breaks on his face. "This is...it's amazing, Minhyuk, how did you do this?" 
> 
> A shrug. "It took a few months' worth of work," Minhyuk replies, "and a very pretty muse to paint."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -hi i just realised i posted one of the chapters 3 times i'm so embarrassed   
>  -also this chapter is really fluffy   
>  - **prompt** :artist!minhyuk

Changkyun squirms in his seat, dimples appearing in his cheeks as he poses for his boyfriend atop the stool. Around them, everything else is tranquil and unmoving, except for the constant trail of Minhyuk's brush against canvas, leaving stroke by stroke of colour on the painting. Their living room has been transformed into a temporary studio once again: their coffee table splattered with tiny dots of paint and water, an array of brushes and Minhyuk's favourite watercolour cakes scattered on the surface. Newspapers gathered below his easel so any dripping paint wouldn't stain their floor. Minhyuk himself in his colourful apron and standing next to Changkyun, who tries his best not to move anywhere.

He flinches when his chin is lifted up by his boyfriend's finger.

"Look this way, baby," Minhyuk says in a hushed whisper, so he's not yet breaking the silence of the room. He's got that concentrating pout on his lips again, tilting his head in that artistic manner and balancing a paintbrush between his fingers. "Don't move yet, okay?" 

"Okay." Changkyun obeys. 

Minhyuk dips his paintbrush into his palette. "The lighting is really good today," he murmurs, continues to paint whatever he's painting on the canvas. "I can see things better now. Clearer." 

"Oh." 

"You look so much prettier." 

"Really?" 

"But when are you not?"

Changkyun flushes into a tomato-red colour. He purses his lips to hide an incoming smile. "Thanks." 

They lapse into silence once more, falling into the rhythm of Minhyuk's quiet brush strokes. From the streets below, the faint barking of a dog echoes around and reaches their apartment, loud enough to be heard but quiet enough to maintain the silence. 

"Can I see what you're painting?" Changkyun asks. 

Sometimes Minhyuk lets him see his works in progress, lets him see the mistakes he has to cover up and the parts he has to complete; other times, he doesn't. Today was one of the other times. With an apologetic shake of the head, Minhyuk smiles and answers, "No, not yet. Sorry." 

"Oh. Okay, it's fine." 

"I wanna make this special for you. A surprise, if you will." 

"Sure." 

And the rest of the day passes by. 

  
  


"What do you think?" Minhyuk asks a few weeks later, tilting his head to look at his boyfriend. "Do you like it?" 

Changkyun blinks, his mouth slightly open. "Ah..." 

The younger stares at the large, grand painting of himself sitting in the middle of a garden, surrounded by hanging vines and lush flowers and wearing a wreath on his head. A reddish-pink flush covers his cheeks and his lips, bringing out the life in him, and his gaze appeared to be soft, distant in a dreamlike world. 

"Is that- is that me?"

"Yeah!" Minhyuk nods. 

"This is amazing," his boyfriend muses, unable to move his eyes from the same spot on the painting. He lifts up a finger to touch the edges of the canvas, feeling the texture of the acrylics, the trail of the vines and flowers bordering it. "It's so...it's so pretty." 

"So do you like it?" the elder repeats. 

"I do! This is beautiful." Changkyun, at last, breaks his gaze from the painting to glance at his boyfriend. A wide smile breaks on his face. "This is...it's  _ amazing, _ Minhyuk, how did you do this?" 

A shrug. "It took a few months' worth of work," Minhyuk replies, "and a very pretty muse to paint." 

A red blush, similar to the one in the painting, climbs Changkyun's cheeks and neck. He hangs his head and hides his smile. "Stop saying that," he replies shyly. "I'm not pretty." 

"You can't say that when you look like this," Minhyuk counters, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend and pulling him in close. Perching his chin on top of Changkyun's shoulder, he mutters, "You're the prettiest person I know."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -i'm unofficially done w high school so i'm trying to get through my wips!  
> -i'm terrible at formatting   
>    
>  ~~and i only,,,started to use rich text i'm such a FOOL~~  
>    
>  -anyway i fixed the formatting for some of the previous chapters sdfkl  
> -hmu on [twitter](https://twitter.com/seohngjin) or [tumblr](https://cngkyns.tumblr.com) to scream about mx or life in general!


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